JG>>soil is sooo hard and clayey that not many of veggies did good this year,
CG>>I would think that in general sand and vegetable matter were good bets.
 DD> Can you use the sand that builders use?  I thought that this was a type 
of silica...clue me in here.
Sand *is* silica...  (but not all silica is sand  :)   Most of us settle for 
builder's sand (or play sand, which can usualy be bought by the bag).  
Actually, good soil contains not only humus and sand (or something to hold 
everything apart, like Gypsum), but also, clay!  Each serves it's own purpose 
(the humus holds the particles apart , keeping things light, and absorbent; 
the sand keeps the particles from sticking together too much, and allows for 
free exchange of air [not *air pockets*, but soil must be able to breathe] 
and water; and the clay keeps it all from being washed, blown, or carried 
away, and holds it all together) and each is important to the over-all 
performance of the soil.  There are other constituents, as well, but these 
are the main ones.  So, each is important in it's own right.  The goal is to 
achieve a nice, friable mix... not too tight, not too loose.   Just 'working' 
the soil will improve it greatly.  In fact, if there have not been gardens 
where you are wishing to work, *that* may be the biggest problem... If you 
will just begin to turn that soil over, you will begin to win your battle... 
and if you are experiencing winter, you can enjoy *it* (winter weather) doing 
half your work *for* you, as the freezing and thawing, snow, rain, ... (you 
know that normal *winter* stuff that seems to go along with "winter weather"  
:) is better than a dozen hoes at work! So, go ahead and turn that future 
garden 'spot' over, adding what you will, and let ol'Man Winter barrel on 
through!  Your ground will be the better for it (and so will your aching 
muscles & back!  :)
cheers,
WL Sakowski
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